Destiny Pharma CEO Neil Clark has been interviewed for an Endpoints News article published on the 7th April discussing what the coronavirus pandemic means for the field of antibiotics. To read more please see here

Data part of collaboration with Cardiff University to identify safe and efficacious compounds with a reduced anti-microbial resistance profile

Brighton, United Kingdom – 2 September 2019 – Destiny Pharma (AIM: DEST), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel anti-microbial drugs which address the global problem of anti-microbial resistance (AMR), announces that data from its collaboration, ‘Evaluation of XF Drugs as Antibiotic Resistance Breakers’, with Cardiff University is being presented at the EuroBiofilms conference, in Glasgow, 3-6 September 2019.

The poster, entitled ‘Evaluation of the novel XF Drugs: Potent antibacterial drugs with Twin Mechanisms of Action’, is being presented by Dr Emma Board-Davies, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University. The data looks at the potency of Destiny Pharma’s product platform, including XF-73, XF-70 and DPD-207, against a range of the critical, infection causing bacteria.

The research programme, ‘Evaluation of XF Drugs as Antibiotic Resistance Breakers,’ is a two-year project examining the use of the Company’s novel XF drugs to prevent, control and eradicate life threatening bacteria or “superbugs” without generating resistance. It is funded by the UK-China AMR grant fund set up by Innovate UK and the Department of Health and Social Care with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology at the beginning of 2019.

About EuroBiofilms EuroBiofilms provides participants with a valuable forum for a fruitful scientific exchange in the field of microbial biofilms. An opportunity for scientists, clinicians and industry partners with an interest in biofilm-related problems to exchange novel information on clinical, environmental and basic elements of microbial biofilms.

About Destiny PharmaDestiny Pharma is an established, clinical stage, innovative biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines from its XF Platform that represent a new approach to the treatment of infectious disease. The company’s lead programme is undergoing a Phase 2b clinical trial and is targeting the prevention of post-surgical hospital infections including MRSA. The XF drug candidates are being developed for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening infections caused by antibiotic‑resistant bacteria, often referred to as “superbugs”. Tackling anti-microbial resistance has become a global imperative recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations, as well as the G7 and the G20 countries. For further information, please visit www.destinypharma.com

About XF-73XF-73 is a synthetic anti-microbial active against all tested Staphylococcus aureus strains, including drug‑resistant strains. By acting via a cell-surface mechanism it affects the bacterial membrane permeability and integrity, leading to cell death. XF-73 has already been through seven successful Phase I/II clinical trials showing it is safe and delivers a rapid antibacterial action. In standard microbiology studies XF drugs have demonstrated a unique no/low resistance profile that means that XF compounds have the potential to deliver novel drugs that are clearly differentiated from traditional antibiotics where resistance limits their utility.

XF-73 is indicated for the prevention of post-surgical staphylococcal infections. In the US, there are approximately 40 million surgeries per annum alone where the patient is at risk of a post-surgical infection. However, within this large population there are particular groups who are at an even higher risk of infection due to the nature of their surgery or the procedures and/or their specific hospital environment in which they are treated. These higher risk surgical procedures include cardiovascular, orthopaedic and other complex surgeries. Destiny Pharma estimates that this totals approximately 14 million US surgeries per year, with this figure set to rise within the context of an ageing population.

Destiny Pharma has won Deal of the Year at the Insider South East Dealmakers Awards 2018, held on 1 February 2018 at The Copthorne in Gatwick, UK.

Now in its twelfth year, the Dealmakers awards recognise the region’s top deals and advisory companies over the course of the last 12 months. The Deal of the Year award follows Destiny Pharma’s flotation on AIM in September 2017, raising £15.3m to accelerate the clinical development of its lead product, XF-73, and XF drug development platform.

Neil Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Destiny Pharma, commented:“We are very pleased to be awarded this award for our successful placing and admission to trading on AIM in September of last year, which marked a major milestone for Destiny Pharma. We continue to advance the clinical development of our lead product, XF-73, and our proprietary XF drug development platform to offer a novel way of tackling the global problem of anti-microbial resistance.”

A high-profile consortium, DRIVE-AB, has published a study in the wake of this announcement recommending broad incentives to promote antibiotic innovation and the sustainable use of the resulting, novel antibiotics to combat antibiotic resistance.

Neil Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Destiny Pharma, commented:“Antibiotic resistance is a major global concern and DRIVE-AB’s study outlines additional support that is needed to assist drug companies in combating this issue. These incentives aim to expand the number of companies such as Destiny Pharma operating in this area and to support the expansion of the development of new treatments.”

The study, titled Revitalizing the Antibiotic Pipeline: Stimulating Innovation while Driving Sustainable Use and Global Access, was produced by an international group made up of 23 partners from big pharma, academic institutions and public health organisations. The complementary measures laid out in the study cover 30 incentives on how to drive antibiotic innovation. Three primary solutions include:

Market entry reward for truly innovative antibiotics: A $1 billion reward per antibiotic globally, in addition to sales revenue, could quadruple novel antibiotics over 30 years

Maximised antibiotic R&D environment: An increase of $300 million, or approximately 50%, in government grant funding and R&D coordinators are need to foster collaboration and fundamental research

Long term governance: The G20, through their recently announced Global R&D Collaboration Hub, should implement a focused investment strategy and facilities the above two points

Equity Development today initiated coverage of Destiny Pharma by publishing a research piece by Analyst Emma Ulker entitled “In a class of its own”. The research can be found here and the Destiny Pharma page on Equity Developments’ website can be found here.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY THE COMPANY TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE EU MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (596/2014). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

– Investment will be used to accelerate the development of Destiny Pharma’s novel antimicrobial pipeline

– Subscription for 1,910,828 new ordinary shares at a price of 157p per share

– Together with money raised at the time of Destiny Pharma’s placing and admission of shares to trading on AIM, gross funds recently raised now stands at over £18 million

– Destiny Pharma and China Medical System Holdings Limited have also finalised a development and commercialisation agreement for Destiny Pharma’s pipeline in China and certain other Asian countries (excluding Japan) (see separate announcement released today)

Brighton, United Kingdom – 1 December 2017 – The Board of Destiny Pharma (AIM: DEST), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel anti-microbial drugs, which address the global problem of anti-microbial resistance (AMR), are pleased to announce that China Medical System Holdings Ltd (“CMS”; HKSE:0867) has, through its wholly owned subsidiary CMS Medical Venture Investment Limited, invested £3.0 million in Destiny Pharma to accelerate the development of the Company’s pipeline of drug candidates. This follows finalisation of the development and commercialisation agreement with CMS, separately announced today.

Neil Clark, CEO of Destiny Pharma, noted, “Following the successful flotation, in which Destiny raised £15.3m, and this additional equity investment of £3m by CMS, Destiny is well funded through to 2020. The Company is now focused fully on delivering the phase 2b clinical trials for its lead programme XF-73 and developing its earlier pipeline over the next two years”.

The investment has been made by way of a subscription, dated 30 November 2017, for 1,910,828 new ordinary shares (the “Subscription Shares”) at a price of 157p per share.

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the Subscription Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that Admission will become effective and that dealings in the Subscription Shares, will commence at 8.00 a.m. on or around Monday 4 December 2017.

Following the issue of the Subscription Shares, the Company’s issued share capital will comprise 42,447,948 ordinary shares of 1 pence each. The total number of voting rights in the Company will be 42,447,948. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority.

About Destiny PharmaDestiny Pharma is an established, clinical stage, innovative biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines that represent a new approach to the treatment of infectious disease. These potential new medicines are being developed to address the need for new drugs for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, often referred to as “superbugs”. Tackling anti-microbial resistance has become a global imperative recognised by the WHO and the United Nations, as well as the G7 and the G20 countries. For further information, please visit https://www.destinypharma.com

About China Medical System Holdings LimitedCMS is a specialty pharmaceutical company based in China, focusing on marketing, promotion and sales of prescription drugs and other medicinal products to all therapeutic departments in hospitals nation-wide. CMS builds up its product portfolio for its target markets by asset acquisition, equity investment, licensing-in and distribution partnership on the global basis as well as in-house R&D. It is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (867.HK) with a market capitalisation of approximately HK$39.9 billion (c. £3.8billion) as at 28 November 2017.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY THE COMPANY TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE EU MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (596/2014). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

Destiny Pharma plc(“Destiny Pharma” or “the Company”)

Regional development and commercialisation agreement finalised with China Medical System Holdings Limited

Brighton, United Kingdom – 1 December 2017 – Destiny Pharma (AIM: DEST), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel anti-microbial drugs, which address the global problem of anti-microbial resistance (AMR), announces that the outline framework agreement, announced on 4 September 2017, covering a development and commercialisation collaboration agreement with CMS Medical Venture Investment Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Medical System Holdings Limited (“CMS”; HKSE:0867), has now been finalised and signed.

Under the final terms of the agreement, Destiny Pharma will collaborate with CMS, who will have the full rights in China and certain other Asian countries (excluding Japan), to enable the development and commercialisation of the Company’s pipeline of drug candidates in the region. The parties will coordinate and share data from their respective clinical studies and Destiny Pharma will benefit from CMS investment in developing the Company’s assets in China. Destiny Pharma will also receive a future commercial milestone based on the achievement of sales milestones by CMS and make a manufacturing margin on any product the Company supplies.

Neil Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Destiny Pharma, commented:“We are pleased to have now finalised and signed this development and commercialisation agreement with China Medical Systems. As a specialty pharmaceutical company based in China, CMS is the ideal strategic partner to help us advance our platform and commercialise potential products in this important region. We look forward to working closely with CMS, in particular, Dr Huaizheng Peng as our newly appointed Non-Executive Director who has a wealth of experience within the global life sciences sector.”

Dr Huaizheng Peng, General Manager of International Operations at CMS, added:“I am excited by this opportunity to work with the Destiny Pharma team to drive forward the development of the Company’s portfolio. I believe Destiny Pharma’s XF-drug platform offers great potential as a novel approach to tackling the rising global issue of anti-microbial resistance, where there is a recognised unmet need for new effective treatment options.”

Board AppointmentDr Huaizheng Peng, General Manager of International Operations at CMS, will join the Board of Destiny Pharma as a Non-Executive Director, with immediate effect. Dr Peng has extensive and multi-faceted experience in the life sciences sector.

Dr Peng joined CMS in 2011 as a General Manager of International Operations. His current responsibilities at CMS include pharmaceutical asset acquisition, product licensing, international business development, outbound investment and asset management. Prior to 2011, Dr Peng previously served as a Non-Executive Director to CMS for three years.

Prior to joining CMS, Dr Peng worked in London as a partner of Northland Bancorp, a private equity firm, and before that, as the head of life sciences and a director of corporate finance at Seymour Pierce, an investment bank and stockbroker. He also served as a Non-Executive Director to China Medstar, a medical device company, while it was listed on AIM. Earlier in his career, Dr Peng was a senior portfolio manager, specialising in global life science and Asian technology investment at Reabourne Technology Investment Management Limited.

Dr Peng received his Bachelor’s degree in medicine from Hunan Medical College (now Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine) in Changsha, Hunan Province, China and he subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in medicine from Hunan Medical College. Dr Peng was awarded his PhD in molecular pathology from University College London (UCL) Medical School, London UK, where he subsequently practiced as a clinical lecturer in the Department of Histopathology.

The following information is disclosed pursuant to Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies. Dr Huaizheng Peng, aged 55, is or has been a director / partner of the following companies / partnerships during the previous five years preceding the date of this announcement:

About Destiny PharmaDestiny Pharma is an established, clinical stage, innovative biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines that represent a new approach to the treatment of infectious disease. These potential new medicines are being developed to address the need for new drugs for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, often referred to as “superbugs”. Tackling anti-microbial resistance has become a global imperative recognised by the WHO and the United Nations, as well as the G7 and the G20 countries. For further information, please visit https://www.destinypharma.com

About China Medical System Holdings LimitedCMS is a specialty pharmaceutical company based in China, focusing on marketing, promotion and sales of prescription drugs and other medicinal products to all therapeutic departments in hospitals nation-wide. CMS builds up its product portfolio for its target markets by asset acquisition, equity investment, licensing-in and distribution partnership on the global basis as well as in-house R&D. It is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (867.HK) with a market capitalisation of approximately HK$39.9 billion (c. £3.8billion) as at 28 November 2017.

The Financial Times article above discusses the first comprehensive study of the transmission of the life-threatening bacterial superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcusaureus (MRSA). Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used new “genomic surveillance” technology to trace the spreading of MRSA in the east of England for a year.

The results indicated that MRSA infection outbreaks occurred not only within hospitals but also in the community, within GP surgeries and homes. The study estimates that 3% of the UK population, approximately 2 million people, carry MRSA and the superbug can cause infections in the carrier or be spread, leading to infections in other subject both inside and outside of hospitals. MRSA causes a range of different infections from minor skin infections through to fatal bloodstream sepsis. From 2018, the researchers at the Sanger Institute will pass on all MRSA tracking information in real time to infection control workers in hospitals, who will then be able to intervene more quickly and effectively to fight outbreaks.

Professor Peacock said, “If implemented in clinical practice, this would provide numerous opportunities to catch outbreaks early and target these to bring them to a close, for example by ‘decolonising’ carriers and implementing barrier nursing.”

Dr Love, CSO at Destiny Pharma plc, welcomed the report and noted, “This research comes against the backdrop of a resurgence of MRSA hospital infections in England and a disturbing, long term neglect of year-on-year rises in hospital infections from the less publicised, yet still deadly, bacterial sibling of MRSA, methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). This research represents a much-needed additional approach that could help address these infections if rolled out across the UK.”